Washington Nationals starting pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara has been optioned to Triple-A Rochester. The left-hander signed a two-year, $3.5 million deal with the Nats this offseason. Before that, Ogasawara was posting solid numbers in Japan. This past season, Ogasawara 3.12 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 82/22 K/BB ratio across 24 appearances with the Chunichi Dragons. The expectation is that the 27-year-old will contribute to the Nats pitching staff at some point. For now, the Nats want him to continue getting in more work at the minor league level.

According to Ian Browne of MLB.com, Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Richard Fitts is expected to open the 2025 campaign as the No. 4 starter in the rotation. The Red Sox have numerous injuries in their rotation, which paved the way for Fitts to not only earn a starting role but to be the fourth option. Currently, Brayan Bello (shoulder), Lucas Giolito (hamstring), and Kutter Crawford (knee) are all slated to open the season on the injured list. Fitts has performed well during camp, holding a 2.45 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP across 14 2/3 innings. During this stretch, he has tallied 14 strikeouts and served up six free passes. Last summer, the 25-year-old made his MLB debut and held an impressive 1.74 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP across 20 2/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should consider targeting the Auburn product late in their drafts, as he should provide stable ratios with decent strikeout upside.UPDATE: Fitts will start the fourth game of the year against the Texas Rangers, according to manager Alex Cora.

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez will be sticking around with the organization for a few more seasons. The two sides have agreed on a five-year, $18 million extension on Friday. The deal also includes two player options for $7 and $9 million for 2030 and 2031. This deal will lock up Martinez through his pre-arbitration and arbitration years. The expectation is that Martinez is going to be the primary closer in Arizona. He registered a 2.48 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 91/36 K/BB ratio across 64 appearances with the D-Backs last season. Fantasy managers can safely assume that Martinez should be getting plenty of save chances in Arizona to start the season.

The Cleveland Guardians have optioned outfield prospect Johnathan Rodriguez to Triple-A Columbus. Rodriguez was competing for a starting role in the outfield but fell short, given his struggles during camp. Across 13 contests, Rodriguez held a modest .217/.375/.391 slash line with just one home run and one double. Last summer, Rodriguez made his MLB debut and posted a .129/.325/.161 slash line across 13 MLB contests. He tallied just one extra-base hit but held a solid 5:9 BB:K. At the Triple-A level, Rodriguez flashed his upside as he hit for a strong .301/.390/.540 line. Across 118 games, Rodriguez went deep 29 times and added 18 doubles. He swiped eight bags and held a 64:128 BB:K. With Rodriguez opening the season at Triple-A, fantasy managers should expect Will Brennan and Jhonkensy Noel to see most of the starts in right field.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Jerar Encarnacion (head) exited Friday's contest early after diving for a ball. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, as the team did not provide an update. Encarnacion has enjoyed a strong spring training as he has posted a .302/.309/.547 slash line with seven doubles and two home runs. Last season, he logged a career-high 35 contests at the MLB level. During this stint, Encarnacion posted a .248/.277/.425 slash line with five doubles and three home runs. However, he generated an elite .275 xBA with a .501 xSLG, which suggests that he should see significant positive regression during the 2025 campaign. He is currently competing for the designated hitter role. If he were to miss the remainder of camp, the Giants may opt for him to begin his campaign at the Triple-A level.